Explosion
by Saki-nee
Summary: It hurt. Oh, God, it really hurt. He felt pain everywhere, leaving it impossible to pinpoint the source. If there was one.   "Ed, please, stay awake. You have to stay awake."


It hurt. Oh, God, it really hurt. He felt pain everywhere, leaving it impossible to pinpoint the source. If there was one.

He didn't feel.

Only pain filled his world now.

"Everyone okay?"

What?

Who?

Okay? Was he okay?

No, he knew he wasn't. If he was, it wouldn't hurt. Everything would make sense. Right now, nothing did.

But this isn't working now. He couldn't lie here like this. Had to get up, had to move forward. He always did, he always would, so why not now?

Because it _hurt_.

Well, fuck that. Life hurts, so what? It wasn't anything new to him anyway. Getting automail hurt. Losing someone hurts. Fighting hurts. And he had done and felt these things more than once. This was just one thing to add to the list. It wasn't like it ruined his life or anything.

Close off the pain. _I have to close off the pain. I did it during the automail surgery. I know how to do it._

Slowly, the pain started to ebb away, making room for other sensations.

He was laying, face down, on something hard. And cold. So he wasn't in his bed, or any other bed. Including hospital bed. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, considering how much it _hurt_.

Wait, it was cold. What did that mean? _I'm outside!_ Okay, how did he end up there? Was he fighting again. _Al must be worried._ Al, where was Al. Now he had to find Al. Al was important.

But if he wanted to find Al, he had to figure out where _he _ was. He had to open his eyes. Yes, that would be a good start.

"Answer if you are okay!"

Answer? To what? But, if Al answered, then he would be okay. He had to listen.

"Havoc! I'm alright"

"Hughes! No problem"

"Breda! Burns, but I'll live"

No Al? Was he hurt? Now he really needed to get up and look for him. What kind of big brother was he if he didn't look after his little brother?

Wait, there was something he didn't remember. Al didn't answer because... 'cause.. he wasn't there!

That's right, Al wasn't there. He was in Resembool. He remembered now. Winry had called that Al's armor had needed proper maintain too, and Al had went for a short visit.

Why, then, was he here?

He had stayed behind to finish his research. That's how it was. Good, his brains were still working. Next he needed to-

"Ed! Edward!"

That was his name they were calling. That much he knew. He should probably answer, but somehow he felt he couldn't. Something was a miss, something that he needed to call out that he was... what? Not okay, he already concluded he wasn't. Then, what should he say?

That he was here. That he was alive. They were probably worried. That wouldn't do, he hated when people worried about him.

There was still something he needed to do before it would be possible to yell.

Air.

He needed more air. He had to extend his lungs, strain the muscles on his sides and stomach. That was a lot to do, but he would start by trying to breathe in enough to have air to yell, the rest would come on it's own.

He tried.

And failed.

He couldn't breathe. Only little air could enter his lungs. He felt panic rising. What was wrong?

_Calm down_, he told himself _ Calm down and find out what's wrong. Use your senses. You have them so use them!_

There! He could feel it now. Something pressed his back. Hard. And it wouldn't move. So he was under something big. No wonder it hurt.

Second plan. What could he move?

Legs? No. Body? No, well no surprise there. Arms? Hah! Bingo! His arm moved! Only the other one, automail, he guessed, he couldn't feel anything with it. Thought he still had problems registering anything else than pain so it might be that it was his flesh arm that only hurt less.

"Edward, answer! Can you tell where you are?"

Could he? He didn't know yet. He should try. Now, what could he do with his arm that would make them find him?

Noise, maybe.

He really had to open his eyes. This was going nowhere.

He shifted all his focus into this task, which could take him step closer to save himself. With effort, he managed to open his eyes. Good.

Now he just had to wait that he could actually see something.

Slowly things started to come into focus. He could see movement on his left. Something blue. Mustang, Hughes or someone else from military. It was hazy, dust everywhere. Now that he concentrated, he could hear them coughing.

What had happened?

Everything was a mess. He could see rubble and metal. Nothing whole. Only peaces.

What the_ hell _ happened?

The blue figures where moving. He could see four of them now. One was moving funnily. Limbing.

He hoped they were okay.

"_Ed"_

Right. Give them a sign. They were looking for him. Searching the huge mess surrounding them.

What could he do? He looked at his arm. It was the automail one. He could draw an array. Something simple. Something he could do his eyes closed and half a sleep, that would take little energy.

A puddle of water. Great! Water vaporization. The energy intake was minimal, once he got it going. And easy. He did it after every shower.

But he couldn't clap. He had no idea where his other arm was.

Well, back to array drawing.

With what?

Blood would do, some seemed to trickle down his nose. A small one would be enough. He would throw stones, but he could only move his wrist. Lucky everything he needed was within his reach.

There, that should do it.

Now it needed to be activated. He did just that, and blue light flashed weakly.

"What was that?"

"Alchemy! It came from there!"

"Edward!"

He could feel the ground thundering. Footsteps. They found him. One figure kneeled. He couldn't make out the face, but he saw a flash. Glasses, it was Hughes then.

"Oh my God. Ed do you here me?"

"Don't worry boss, were gonna get you out of there." That was Havoc, he could make out his blond hair in the scarce light.

"Roy, can you-"

"Already on it. When we get him free, he needs to be taken into ambulance imme-"

"Breda's calling one. Can you move the beam without making it worse?" Beam? Was that the heavy thing that pressed his back?

"Yes, but we must remove the rubble first. It might start rolling and crush him."

"Havoc, take a hold on that"

"Roger"

"Ed, look at me." That was Hughes again. He was talking to him. He blinked slowly, nothing seemed to work like he wanted. With each blink he could see a bit better. He could see Hughes now.

"Ed, I need you to stay awake. It's important. Can you do that?"

He blinked again, faster this time. Stupid question. He was _waking up all the time! _He'd be dammed if he fell asleep again, after all this work. He did his best to glare at Hughes. He didn't think he managed very well, since Hughes chuckled a bit. It sounded a tight and wary and he didn't smile. Oh well, not his problem. He never stayed like that for long. Soon he would be goofing around, showing pictures of Elycia.

"I'll take that as a yes. Don't worry, well get you out."

"Oh no"

"What is it chief?"

"Shit"

"What now Roy?"

"He was closer to the explosion that we thought. His back seems to be full of second degree burns."

Burns? Another reason why he hurt like a bitch. He didn't want to think what the burns ment to his condition. Now wasn't the time for it. No he preferred concentrating on keepeing the pain in bay and just breathing. And that was hard enough.

"How bad?"

"Hard to say with second degree. The explosion was quick, so it reduces the deepness of the damage a little, but the flame was hot. It all comes down to the time and the distance he had when it hit him. I can't say for sure now, the real extend of the damage will show hours afterwards. My guess is that it reaches the middle part of the dermis. The skin is not black or gray but red and has few white areas. I can't say yet, I need to see the whole , do you hear me?"

Mustang seemed to be talking to him know. He should answer, and he wanted to, but he still didn't have enough air, even thought the pressure seemed to lessen. He blinked his eyes instead and gave the slightest nod. Before closing his eyes when his sight swayed alarmingly. Okay, no nodding. It made him feel nauseous.

He fought down the urge to throw up, opened his eyes again and focused his gaze at Mustang who was drawing a transmutation circle in the dirt on the ground. Mustang saw his look.

"Does your back hurt? Can you feel the burns?"

Could he? Ah, he sure as hell could. Now that he actually thought about it, the pain was mostly at his back.

And it was almost intolerable. On the second thought, it _was _intolerable.

Back to ignoring it, or he would scream his lungs out.

And suffocate.

Mustang noticed the pain is his eyes and the pale gray color on his skin.

"It's not a third degree burn. Then you wouldn't feel the pain anymore. Good."

Good? How the hell could he say that. When he got out he would kill him.

He felt a hand on top of his head. He opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) and saw Hughes. He looked very worried. Anxious lines marred his face and his mouth was pulled into grim line.

"Roy, are you soon ready? I think he is fading. Ed, please, stay awake. You have to stay awake. Think about Al. He's in Resembool now, right. He would be very worried about you if he knew.

How is that mechanic of yours, by the way? Her name was Winry, right?"

Ed looked at Hughes and blinked. It seemed to be his version of _yes_. Would do until he could risk nodding.

Why was Al in Resembool again? Oh, the maintain. Of the armor.

He was cold.

It hurt so bad.

It was hard to breathe. He wanted to breathe. Why couldn't he breathe? He had to breathe _now. _He had to get away. It hurt too much.

"Ed, please calm down! Roy, hurry! I think he's going into a shock Ed, calm down and breathe! Don't worry, you'll be alright, we'll get you out soon. Breathe!"

Breathe, that's what he was doing, wasn't he? Why did he tell him to breathe?

Oh, he was breathing too fast. He wondered why that was.

Well, if made them feel better he could slow it down. His teacher had thought him how.

Only that now it wasn't so easy.

Somehow he got the feeling that this was important. He didn't know why, but he was sure it was.

He started to feel better.

Concentrating helped him. It blocked away the pain even better. He could almost forget it.

He could ignore that he couldn't breathe deeply. It was okay now. He would be okay. He could trust them. Mustang always took care of his subordinates.

"Done! Ed, we're going to move this now. When the blood circulation starts again, it's going to hurt, alright?"

"Hughes! The burn is big, so wet your jacket but don't let it get cold. When we move this, we'll gonna see the full extend of his burn. Don't try to remove anything that has been burned into his skin, just cover it with something wet and make sure it's not cold!"

Havoc! Make sure nothing touches his back, or any other part of him, if you can prevent it. Don't move him, thought, we don't know how badly he's hurt."

"Roy, I think I can here the sirens!"

"Thank God. Ready? Now!"

They were ignoring him. Stupid idiots, he wasn't dead yet.

He saw Mustang press his fingers on the edges of transmutation circle. Light flared up and he could feel how the wight shifted away from him.

And God did it hurt. It felt like his skin was ripped. Only that he knew how that felt and this hurt a _lot more_. It made him see stars. He couldn't hear a thing, and then the pain disappeared. Along with everything else. He didn't see.

Or hear.

Or feel.

Fine with him. He could take only so much.

But he could breath again!

He took a gulp of breath – and coughed.

Fuck, that was not a good thing to do. It brought all the pain back. Now thought, it was all over his body.

In his leg.

And arm.

And every possible muscle he knew.

Hm, he didn't knew he had a muscle there. Eh, the things one can learn are sometimes surprising.

After the pain came the sense of feeling. Something was pressed against his back. It seemed to be wet. Mustang said something about wet jacket.

Must be that, then.

Now came the hearing. Someone was calling him. Many someones.

"Ed, please answer!"

"Come on boss! Hang in there!"

"Edward!"

He still didn't see anything. Did he close his eyes again? No, dots of light came into view. They got larger and larger. He could make out the worried face of Mustang. Someone had his wrist held tightly. Measuring pulse? Then it might be Havoc. He had medical training.

"This way! Quick!"

Hey, that was Breda.

"Come on Ed! Help came. They'll take you to hospital. You'll pull thought this. I'm sure you will."

Hah! Of course he would. He always did. And better than anyone expected.

"Shit, the percentage of his burn is 36! The beam ripped his skin and it's bleeding. Where are the paramedics?"

It didn't matter that it hurt enough for him to almost wish he was dead. Almost. As far as there was the word almost almost, there was no danger yet. It didn't matter. Besides, he had Al. He didn't really have any choices. And it was okay. In this matter, it was better not to have any other options but to survive. He wouldn't give himself any. That way, he would survive.

This was what it meant to be Fullmetal. He had decided to carry that name. And he would.

He should probably say it to them. He could breathe now. Maybe he could also speak.

He looked at the only face he saw. Mustang's. That would have to do.

Somehow, he managed to pull his face into something close to a grin. He wasn't really sure what it was, he couldn't control his face very well. Well, it would have to do.

"O' 'cou'se I'll 'ull th'ought, 'upid." it didn't really go very well, but he hurt. And Mustang seemed happy enough. Thought "happy" didn't really descripe it. He looked... relieved..hopeful..whatever. He wanted to go to sleep. He could do that now. Couldn't he. He was really tired.

"'an I go t' slee' ?"

Mustang smiled slightly. Wow, Mustang smiled to him. On the other hand, he would probably also do that, if he was in Mustang's shoes.

" No, Ed. Please bear with it a little longer."

The hand around his wrist tightened.

"You're doing great so far, boss. Don't give up yet."

"The paramedics are almost here now, Ed. Can you hear them?"

He could. He felt the vibrations on the ground. Could hear the footseps.

"Will you 'ome with 'e?"

He didn't need anyone there. He didn't.

But it would be boring to wake up alone in a boring hospital room. That was really the only reason. Nothing else. 

Yeah.

Three voices answered him straight away, without any hesitation.

"You can count on that."

"Would be hard to keep me _away_._"_

"I'll be there with you when you wake up."

He pulled his face again, and this time, he was sure, it was closer to a smile than his previous try.

"No' gonna slee' "

Mustang smiled again, never removing his eyes from him.

"Good, soon everything is going to be alright"

_So, I just happened to read an article about burns so I had to write this. I might continue this later on, but for now, it is be completed._

-_saki-nee_


End file.
